Is your priest on "The List"?

Yesterday the diocese announced 46 new clergy appointments. These changes are being made, I believe, to facilitate the closing of several churches throughout the diocese. It's easier to replace Father James McGahagan, who's been at Exaltation of the Holy Cross for 19 years, than ask him to close it.

So if your pastor was affected by yesterdays move, and you belong to a "parish community" that has more than one church, you can have a 50/50 to guess which one (or more) is closing.

My money is on St. Boniface in Wilkes-Barre to close. Keep an eye for that.

His Excellency, Bishop Martino, announces the following appointments, effective as noted:

PASTORS EMERITI
Effective July 9, 2008

Reverend Mark J. Bochinski, from Pastor, Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Avoca, to Pastor Emeritus, Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Avoca.

Reverend Joseph M. Brozena, from Pastor, Church of Saint Michael, Old Forge, to Pastor Emeritus, Church of Saint Michael, Old Forge.

Monsignor Francis J. Castellano, from Pastor, Church of Mater Dolorosa, Williamsport, to Pastor Emeritus, Church of Mater Dolorosa, Williamsport.

Reverend William J. Flynn, S.S., from Pastor, Church of Corpus Christi, Montdale, to Pastor Emeritus, Church of Corpus Christi, Montdale.

PASTORS AND ADMINISTRATORS
Effective July 9, 2008

Monsignor David A. Bohr, from Sabbatical to Pastor, Cathedral of Saint Peter, Scranton.

Reverend Michael M. Bryant, from Sabbatical to Administrator, Church of the Nativity of Our Lord, Scranton.

Reverend Joseph R. Kakareka, from Pastor, Churches of Saint Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Mocanaqua, and Ascension of the Lord, Mocanaqua, and Saint Martha, Fairmount Springs, to Administrator, Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Avoca.

Reverend Louis T. Kaminski, to Administrator, Church of Saint Michael, Old Forge. Father Kaminski continues as Pastor of the Churches of Saint Mary, Old Forge, and Saint Lawrence O’Toole, Old Forge.

Reverend Shane L. Kirby, from Secretary to the Bishop of Scranton to Administrator, Churches of Saint Luke, Jersey Shore, and Immaculate Conception, Bastress.

Reverend Stephen A. Krawontka, from Assistant Pastor, Churches of Saint Joseph, Hazleton, and Saint Stanislaus, Hazleton, to Administrator, Churches of Saint Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Mocanaqua, and Ascension of the Lord, Mocanaqua, and Saint Martha, Fairmount Springs.

Reverend James E. McGahagan, from Pastor, Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Hanover Township, to Administrator, Churches of Saint Patrick, Wilkes-Barre, and Saint Boniface, Wilkes-Barre.

Reverend Edward L. Michelini, from Assistant Pastor, Church of Saint John the Evangelist, Pittston, to Administrator, Church of Mater Dolorosa, Williamsport, and Chaplain, Saint John Neumann Regional Academy, Williamsport.

Reverend W. Jeffrey Paulish, from Assistant Pastor, Churches of Saint Mary, Old Forge, and Saint Lawrence O’Toole, Old Forge, to Administrator, Church of Saint Elizabeth, Bear Creek.

Reverend Gregory W. Pendergraft, F.S.S.P., The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, to Pastor, Church of Saint Michael, Scranton, effective July 1, 2008.

Reverend Paul Lourduraj Pudhota, from Assistant Pastor, Churches of Saint Peter, Wellsboro, and Saint John Neumann, Blossburg, to Administrator, Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Hanover Township.

Reverend James B. Shimsky, from Assistant Pastor, Church of Saint Frances X. Cabrini, Carverton, to Administrator, Church of Saint Frances X. Cabrini, Carverton.

Reverend Daniel A. Toomey, from Pastor, Church of Saint Frances X. Cabrini, Carverton, and Chaplain, Misericordia University, Dallas, to Administrator, Church of Corpus Christi, Montdale.

Reverend Jeffrey J. Walsh, V.E., from Episcopal Vicar, Eastern Pastoral Region, to Administrator, Church of Saint Rita, Gouldsboro. Father Walsh will take up further studies in the fall.

ASSISTANT PASTORS
Effective July 9, 2008

Reverend David W. Bechtel, to Assistant Pastor, Church of Saint Matthew, East Stroudsburg.

Reverend Balaraj V. Chencetty, Diocese of Nellore, India, to Assistant Pastor, Church of Saint Patrick, Scranton.

Reverend Dennis Gordon, F.S.S.P., The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, to Assistant Pastor, Church of Saint Michael, Scranton, effective July 1, 2008.

Reverend Victor Leon, O.S.J., Oblates of Saint Joseph, to Assistant Pastor, Church of the Nativity of Our Lord, Scranton. Father Leon will reside at Saint Joseph Oblate Seminary, Pittston.

Reverend Michael S. McCormick, from Assistant Pastor, Church of the Nativity of Our Lord, Scranton, to Assistant Pastor, Churches of Saint Joseph, Hazleton, and Saint Stanislaus, Hazleton.

Reverend Connell A. McHugh, from Chaplain, Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre, to Assistant Pastor, Churches of Saint John Bosco, Conyngham, and Good Shepherd, Drums.

Reverend Gregory A. Reichlen, to Assistant Pastor, Churches of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Archbald, and Saint Mary of Czestochowa, Eynon.

Reverend Arbogaste Satoun, from Chaplain, Marywood University, Scranton, to Assistant Pastor, Churches of the Immaculate Conception, West Pittston, and Holy Redeemer, Harding/Falls.

Reverend John J. Victoria, to Assistant Pastor, Churches of the Immaculate Conception, Scranton, and Christ the King, Dunmore.

Reverend Bryan B. Wright, from Chaplain, Notre Dame High School, East Stroudsburg, to Assistant Pastor, Churches of Saint Peter, Wellsboro, and Saint John Neumann, Blossburg.

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS

Reverend James J. Alco, from Assistant Pastor, Churches of the Sacred Heart-Saint John, Wilkes-Barre, and Saint Stanislaus Kostka, Wilkes-Barre, to Residence, Saint Joseph Oblate Seminary, Pittston, for reasons of health.

Reverend Albert Bellantonio, from Assistant Pastor, Churches of Saint Ann, Tobyhanna, and Saint Matthew, East Stroudsburg, to Assistant to the Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry for Monroe County.

Monsignor John A. Bergamo, to Chaplain, Notre Dame Elementary, Middle and High Schools, East Stroudsburg. Monsignor Bergamo will continue as Pastor, Church of Saint Matthew, East Stroudsburg, and Judicial Vicar of the Diocesan Tribunal.

Reverend Eric L. Bergman, to Chaplain, Holy Cross High School, Dunmore. Father Bergman will remain Chaplain of the Saint Thomas More Society of Saint Clare Church, Scranton.

Reverend David R. Betts, from Leave of Absence for reasons of health, to Residence, Churches of Sacred Heart-Saint John, Wilkes-Barre, and Saint Stanislaus Kostka, Wilkes-Barre.

Reverend Brian J. T. Clarke, from Assistant Pastor, Churches of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Archbald, and Saint Mary of Czestochowa, Eynon, to Chaplain, Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre. Father Clarke will reside at Saint Ignatius Rectory, Kingston.

Reverend Brian J. W. Clarke, to Vice Chancellor, Diocese of Scranton, effective June 30, 2008. Father Clarke will reside at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Rectory, Scranton, and will continue graduate studies in the fall.

Reverend Charles P. Connor, from Pastor, Cathedral of Saint Peter, Scranton, to further studies. (Probably the smartest priest in the diocese. He should be in a parish, not going to college in Washington DC to learn about marriage and family.)

Monsignor Michael J. Delaney, from Leave of Absence for reasons of health, to Residence, Church of Saint John the Evangelist, Pittston.

Reverend Anthony J. Generose, to Assistant Judicial Vicar and Assistant Vicar for Consecrated Life, Diocese of Scranton, effective June 30, 2008. Father Generose will reside at Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Rectory, Dickson City, and will continue graduate studies in the fall.

Monsignor Joseph P. Kelly, to Episcopal Vicar for Hispanic Ministry. Monsignor Kelly will continue as Executive Director of Catholic Social Services and Administrator, Church of the Holy Rosary, Wilkes-Barre. (Was there one before, does anyone know? If anyone should have that job, it's probably Kelly. He has probably the largest Hispanic population in his section of the town and they all go there.)

Reverend Joseph R. Kopacz, V.G., to Chaplain, Monsignor McHugh Elementary School, Cresco, and Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry, Monroe County. Father Kopacz will continue as Pastor, Church of Saint Mary of the Mount, Mount Pocono.

Reverend Leo J. McKernan, from Pastor, Church of Saint Elizabeth, Bear Creek, to Diocesan Preacher for Called to Holiness and Mission. Father McKernan will reside at Saint Leo Rectory, Ashley. (I think this is a new positon. I'll need to find out what this job is all about.)

Reverend Thomas J. Petro, from Pastor, Churches of Saint Luke, Jersey Shore, and Immaculate Conception, Bastress, to further studies. (I wonder what he is studying)

Reverend Andrew R. Sinnott, from Pastor, Churches of Saint Patrick, Wilkes-Barre, and Saint Boniface, Wilkes-Barre, to Episcopal Vicar, Eastern Pastoral Region. Father Sinnott will reside at Saint Mary of the Mount Rectory, Mount Pocono.

Reverend Brian F. Van Fossen, from Chaplain, Saint John Neumann Regional Academy, Williamsport, to Chaplain, Marywood University, Scranton. Father Van Fossen will reside at Saint Mary of Mount Carmel Rectory, Dunmore.

Reverend Christopher T. Washington, from Assistant Pastor, Church of Saint Matthew, East Stroudsburg, to Secretary to the Bishop of Scranton, and Assistant Director for Worship. Father Washington will reside at Saint Peter’s Cathedral Rectory, Scranton.

Reverend Donald J. Williams, from Residence, Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Forest City, to Chaplain, Misericordia University, Dallas. Father Williams will reside at Saint Frances X. Cabrini Rectory, Carverton.



FSSP seems to have two new priests: Father Gregory F. Pendergraft, and his assistant is Father Dennis Gordon at Saint Michaels, Scranton. St. Michaels incedently, is a very nice little parish on Jackson St. Very traditional as you'd expect FSSP to be, big families, nice parish life, go by and check it out. Their website hasn't been updated in some time, but click here to go there.